All The Wrong Impressions
by StarWarrior72
Summary: I always get it better right afterwards / When all the wrong impressions are said and heard / how come I can never find the right words? / I need to explain. LIGHTS


"Luke," Vader made a gesture with one hand, and the gril behind Luke tried to slide closed. Luke stuck his foot in it, and kept it there, although every muscle in his body screamed to wrench it free of the crushing grip.

"What do you want," he snarled, reluctant to remove his foot from the only way he had in and out of the dark, steamy room.

"Come with me," Vader said, and Luke watched as he formed, seemingly from shadows and steam.

"Why would I?"

"I know you joined the Alliance to avenge your father."

"What does that have to do with," Luke waved his hand around the room, "This?"

"There is no reason to fight."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your father isn't dead."

In spite of himself, Luke's heart leapt, "Where is he?"

Vader moved closer, extending a hand, "I'm here, Luke."

Luke involuntarily took a step back, "No."

Vader's hand had found his shoulder.

"No, that can't be true!"

Luke grabbed his lightsaber from his belt and swung it at Vader's arm. Instantly, the arm was gone, replaced by Vader's own red blade. Luke waited for it to slide through his neck, but it stayed where it was.

"Do you think I'll kill my own son because he doesn't accept me instantly?"

Luke shivered, and the lightsaber moved aside.

"If you insist on making me capture you, we're going to do this properly."

"I—," Luke started. But his voice shook, and he had to silence himself.

"I won't harm you," Vader promised.

Luke wrenched himself from Vader's hold and ran back to the grate, which had slid closed. He used the Force to yank it open. He didn't wait for the lift, merely jumping through the hole and rolling off of the raising platform as it caught him.

In his panic, Luke's mind was clear, and he could easily sense his friends. Two of them had already left, but he could sense the dim presence of another nearby.

"Han," Luke said to himself, wanting to hear his own voice to make him sure he wasn't dead. His voice sounded dry and weak, and barely hid the sob that was trying to force itself forth.

Then he ran towards the presence, forcing himself not to look over his shoulder for the dark angel he was sure would come down any moment. At last, he turned the last bend and saw the same strange grey slab he had spotted earlier. It was flanked by many men, but Luke could sense his friend's life _inside_ the slab.

"Get away from him!" Luke shouted, glad to hear his voice had returned almost to normal.

Most of the guards ran, but one stayed.

"Boba Fett," Luke said.

"Skywalker," Fett nodded in Luke's direction.

Luke reached for his lightsaber, "I don't want to hurt you," he said, and it was true.

Fett didn't answer, except to draw his blaster. Luke ignited his own weapon, and Fett shot. Luke dodged it and ran at Fett. The bounty hunter shot again, and Luke was forced to deflect it at one of the walls.

As he was right up against Fett, he swung his lightsaber and simultaneously threw all his power into sending the other man into the slab as hard as possible. He felt Fett fall, and hit his head against the inside of his helmet, knocking him unconscious. Then he shoved the hunter off of the slab, quickly trying to thaw the carbonite.

He stood over the slab, watching it start to shine red, but the panic brought on by the hunter was fading. Fear and loss crept in again, and as the lump in his throat rose once more, he found himself pushing the cart down corridor after corridor, wanting nothing more than to get to a ship and leave Vader behind. Forever.

"Han," he nearly sobbed, "Wake up, Han. _Please_. Wake up!"

The carbonite was nearly finished glowing. Luke saw his friend's hands curl, his face moving from the pained expression he had been frozen with.

"_Han!_"

The older man's eyes opened slightly, "Luke?"

"Yes!" Luke sobbed.

"Kid? What's going on?"

"I," Luke's breath caught in his throat, "I'll tell you in a minute. Just as soon as we're free of this awful place."

"Okay," Han said faintly.

At long last, Luke saw a ship and raced towards it. He ran up the ramp as quickly as he could, still pushing the slab. Once they were safely on board, he slammed the ramp closed with the Force and helped his friend to his feet.

"Are you all right?" he asked, glad to let concern take precedence over fear and panic.

Han nodded, "The world is slightly blurry. But…considering, I'm all right, Kid," he drew Luke into a hug, "We're all right."

Luke wanted nothing more than to stand in his friend's warmth forever, to feel protected from everything that frightened him.

"We have to go," he said instead.

Han nodded again, and released him. The smuggler led the way to the cockpit, Luke following dismally, glad to let someone else take over.

He watched as Han took them into space before closing his eyes, wanting to go home.

"Can you remind me what the Alliance base's coordinates are?" Han asked without turning to him.

"No," he muttered.

"What do you mean 'no'? You've never forgotten the coordinates before!"

"I haven't forgotten them. We can't go back."

"What do you mean?" Han asked before adding, "I'm setting us for a random jump point."

Luke nodded.

Han sat down next to Luke, looking into his miserable face, "What's wrong, Kid?"

Luke forced himself to open his eyes and look at his friend, "He's my father."

"Your father? Who is? That's great, Luke!"

Luke shook his head, "No, it isn't. Han, look at me. What do you see?"

Nonplussed, Han answered, "I see blue eyes and blonde hair, and a lot more courage than you know what to do with. I see the sweet nutcase who wouldn't let me leave the Alliance."

Luke gave a sob, "Vader's eyes."

"Luke, what are you talking about?"

"He's my father," Luke said again, "Vader is my _father_!" His voice dropped off to nearly a whisper, "Aunt Beru always said I looked just like him."

"You mean you knew? Then what's wrong now?"

"I didn't know!" Luke said shrilly, "She always said I looked like Anakin," he clenched his hands into fists, "And I was so proud. I can't go back to the Alliance now. Don't you see? I'm the son of a murderer, a terrible, evil monster who would kill all of us. Please, just take us away. We can be smugglers. Please."

Han seemed to finally understand, "Kid?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't care. I don't care who your father is. You belong with the Alliance, and we're going back."

"No!" Luke shook his head frantically, "Please, Han, we can't! I can't. Look at me, Han, I'm the son of a monster."

Han took Luke's hands, "Okay, Luke. Now it's your turn. Look at me."

Luke did as he was told, clinging to his friend's hands.

"What do _you_ see?"

"I see my best friend in the galaxy. You _will_ help me, won't you?"

"How about physically?"

"Brown eyes and hair."

"I look like my dad too, did you know that?"

Luke shook his head slowly, "You never talk about your father."

"That's because he was a drunken idiot who beat me and my mom. Now what do you see when you look at me?"

"My best friend," Luke answered again.

"Exactly. Why would I feel any differently about you?"

"But," Luke protested, "I've never known your parents. You _know_ my father!"

"Yeah, and now you know as much about my parents as I do about yours. And it didn't change your opinion of me, did it?"

"No," Luke said softly.

"See? We don't care about each other's parents. We'd care if they were better parents, but they're not, are they? We're our own people to a far greater extent than we would have been if they'd raised us. I don't need to see Vader in you. For all I care, you might have dyed your eyes and hair. It doesn't matter to me."

Luke blinked at his friend a moment longer, then silently melted into his arms.

Han held the boy close, "You're my best friend, and this could never change that fact."

Luke sniffled, then managed a smile, "You're my best friend too."

"You've obviously had a rough day," Han said.

Luke laughed weakly, "Have I ever."

"Why don't you just go to sleep now?" Han asked, lifting the boy and walking back into the shuttle to find a bed. In his arms, Luke fell asleep, seeming immensely comforted by their conversation.

When he finally found a bed, he tucked Luke in and sat down beside him.

"Don't worry, Kid, I'll take you somewhere he'll never find us."

"Somewhere I'll never find my own son? That would be a very impressive hiding place. I'm almost tempted to let you go so I can see."

Han spun around, and there stood Vader.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he spat.

"This is my ship," Vader answered, "And that is my son."

"Yeah, 'cause your bond obviously means a lot to you, abandoning him and scaring him so much by telling him."

"No one regrets his pain more than I."

"Yeah, right."

"Do you believe that I wish to be feared by the only family I have left?"

"Well, that is the way you make it look."

Vader stood silent for a moment then said, "I know."

Han felt a spike of pain shoot through him at the sound of his last words to Leia.

Suddenly, Vader was moving nearer, "Let me hold him."

Han stared, carefully keeping himself between the two others, "No."

"You must."

"Why?"

"He is my _son_ and it is my right to hold him."

Han gawked and Vader moved past him to take the young Jedi in his arms. Han was amazed at how unexpectedly right it looked. Luke's form pressed silently against the dark figure's chest, and Vader held him tightly, protectively.

Han stared.

"If your intentions are so good, wake him up," Han said at last.

Vader turned to him, tipping his head to one side in confusion, "That will frighten him."

Han shook his head, "No, it'll frighten if he wakes up by himself. If you wake him gently, he might be sleepy enough to accept you in part. It'll keep him from fearing you."

Vader's gaze turned back to the sleeping boy, "He looks so innocent."

"He is. But he's frightened and hurt because of you."

"I heard."

"You were listening?"

"Yes," Vader answered, gently shaking his son, "Wake up, Luke."

Luke blinked groggily, "Huh?"

"I'm here, Luke."

"Father?"

"Yes."

Luke started to tremble, and Han worried he'd made a mistake. Then the boy yanked himself upright.

"I'm cold. Hold me," he asked.

Vader did as he'd been asked, wrapping a blanket around the boy as well. In his arms, Luke drifted off again.

Once he seemed certain that his son was asleep, Vader spoke, "You're right. That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

Han looked at the sleeping boy, "That's because he was still practically asleep."

Vader sighed, also turning back to Luke, "Yes."

Some strange, forgotten part of Han felt jealous for a moment, "He's always wanted his father."

He had the strangest feeling than Vader smiled as he nodded once again.


End file.
